System and method for supplying uninterruptible power to a POE device in a powered state

Abstract

A system and method for supplying uninterruptible power includes a housing, a power supply input, a power source equipment input, a first powered device output, a second powered device output, an alternative power supply, and a control module. The control module includes a comparator, a switch, a converter and an injector. The injector includes a regulator and power autonegotiation module. The alternative power supply includes a plurality of battery packs in series. There can also be first and second powered devices with uninterrupted power, even when only one of the powered devices breaks. A power is uninterrupted to the first powered device, even if power is stopped to the second powered device, due to a repair or fault of the second powered device.

We claim: 
     
       1. A system for supplying uninterruptible power, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a power supply input disposed within said housing, said power supply input having a power source interface on an outside of said housing; 
 a power source equipment input disposed within said housing, said power source equipment input having a power source equipment interface on an outside of said housing; 
 a powered device output disposed within said housing, said powered device output having a powered device interface on an outside of said housing; 
 an alternative power supply disposed within said housing; 
 a powered device connected to said powered device output by an Ethernet cable; 
 power source equipment connected to said power source equipment input, said power source equipment being powered separate from said power supply input and said alternative power supply; and 
 a control module connected to said power supply input, said power source equipment input, said powered device output, and said alternative power supply, 
 wherein said control module comprises an injector means, a comparator means, a switch means, and a converter means, 
 said comparator means detecting power from said power supply input and to said powered device output and connecting said power source equipment input and said power supply input to said switch means, 
 said converter means providing DC power from AC power from said power supply input and connecting said power supply input to said comparator means, said injector means, and said alternative power supply, 
 said switch means connecting said comparator means and said alternative power supply to said injector means, 
 said injector means collecting and distributing power, said injector means being comprised of a regulator and power autonegotiation module, said regulator connecting said switch means and said converter means to said power autonegotiation module, said power autonegotiation module connecting said regulator to said powered device output, 
 wherein said control module further comprises a battery charger, said battery charger storing power from at least one of said power supply input and said power source equipment input, said battery charger distributing power to said alternative power supply, and 
 wherein said alternative power supply is comprised of a plurality of battery packs, each battery pack being connected in series. 
 
     
     
       2. The system for supplying uninterruptible power, according to  claim 1 , each battery pack of said alternative power supply being comprised of a chemically activated recharging power source. 
     
     
       3. The system for supplying uninterruptible power, according to  claim 1 , said converter means receiving power from an AC power source and transmitting converted DC power to said battery charger of said control module, said converter means being connected between said power supply input and said injector means so as to provide DC power from an AC source connected to said power supply input. 
     
     
       4. The system for supplying uninterruptible power, according to  claim 1 , wherein said injector means connects said power source equipment input to said powered device so as to distribute data and power between said power source equipment and said powered device, said power autonegotiation module determining a predetermined amount of power for said powered device output, said regulator activating said switch means, said switch means providing voltage to said powered device output according to said predetermined amount of power. 
     
     
       5. A method of supplying uninterruptible power, said method comprising:
 providing a system according to  claim 1 ; 
 setting a predetermined amount of voltage to said powered device output with said power autonegotiation module; 
 supplying power from said power supply input to said powered device through said regulator of said injector means; 
 supplying power from said power supply input to said alternative power supply through said battery charger; 
 charging said alternative power supply; 
 detecting insufficient power at said injector means by said power autonegotiation module; 
 activating said regulator to collect power for said powered device output from said power supply input and at least one power source selected from a group consisting of said alternative power supply, said converter means, and said power source equipment input through said comparator means; 
 monitoring voltage at said power supply input after the step of activating said regulator; 
 detecting sufficient power from said power supply input with said regulator; and 
 switching power to said powered device output from said at least one power source. 
 
     
     
       6. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 5 , further comprising the step of:
 supplying power from said power source equipment input to said alternative power supply through said switch means. 
 
     
     
       7. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of supplying power from said power source equipment input to said alternative power supply through said switch means further comprises the steps of:
 charging each battery pack in a pre-determined sequence; 
 detecting a charge status of each battery pack; and 
 maintaining each battery pack, during the step of supplying power from said power supply input to said powered device through said regulator of said injector means. 
 
     
     
       8. A system for supplying uninterruptible power, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a power supply input disposed within said housing, said power supply input having a power source interface on an outside of said housing; 
 a power source equipment input disposed within said housing, said power source equipment input having a power source equipment interface on an outside of said housing; 
 a first powered device output disposed within said housing, said first powered device output having a first powered device interface on an outside of said housing; 
 a second powered device output disposed within said housing, said second powered device output having a second powered device interface on an outside of said housing; 
 an alternative power supply disposed within said housing; 
 a first powered device connected to said first powered device output by an Ethernet cable; 
 a second powered device connected to said second powered device output by an Ethernet cable; 
 power source equipment connected to said power source equipment input, said power source equipment being powered separate from said power supply input and said alternative power supply; and 
 a control module connected to said power supply input, said power source equipment input, said first powered device output, said second powered device output, and said alternative power supply, 
 wherein said control module comprises an injector means, a comparator means, a switch means, and a converter means, 
 said comparator means detecting power from said power supply input and to said first powered device output and said second powered device output and connecting said power source equipment input and said power supply input to said switch means, 
 said converter means providing DC power from AC power from said power supply input and connecting said power supply input to said comparator means, said injector means, and said alternative power supply, 
 said switch means connecting said comparator means and said alternative power supply to said injector means, 
 said injector means collecting and distributing power, said injector means being comprised of a regulator and power autonegotiation module, said regulator connecting said switch means and said converter means to said power autonegotiation module, said power autonegotiation module connecting said regulator to said first powered device output and said second powered device output, 
 wherein said control module further comprises a battery charger, said battery charger storing power from at least one of said power supply input and said power source equipment input, said battery charger distributing power to said alternative power supply, and 
 wherein said alternative power supply is comprised of a plurality of battery packs, each battery pack being connected in series. 
 
     
     
       9. The system for supplying uninterruptible power, according to  claim 8 , said converter means receiving power from an AC power source and transmitting converted DC power to said battery charger of said control module, said converter means being connected between said power supply input and said injector means so as to provide DC power from an AC source connected to said power supply input. 
     
     
       10. The system for supplying uninterruptible power, according to  claim 8 , wherein said injector means connects said power source equipment input to said first powered device and said second powered device so as to distribute data and power between said power source equipment and said first powered device and said second powered device, said power autonegotiation module determining a predetermined amount of power for said first powered device output and said second powered device, said regulator activating said switch means, said switch means providing voltage to said first powered device output and said second powered device output according to said predetermined amount of power. 
     
     
       11. A method of supplying uninterruptible power, said method comprising:
 providing a system according to  claim 8 ; 
 setting a first predetermined amount of voltage to said first powered device output with said power autonegotiation module; 
 setting a second predetermined amount of voltage to said second powered device output with said power autonegotiation module; 
 supplying power from said power supply input to said first powered device and said second powered device through said regulator of said injector means; 
 supplying power from said power supply input to said alternative power supply through said battery charger; 
 charging said alternative power supply; 
 detecting insufficient power at said injector means by said power autonegotiation module; 
 activating said regulator to collect power for said first powered device output and said second powered device from said power supply input and at least one power source selected from a group consisting of said alternative power supply, said converter means, and said power source equipment input through said comparator means; 
 monitoring voltage at said power supply input after the step of activating said regulator; 
 detecting sufficient power from said power supply input with said regulator; and 
 switching power to said first powered device output and said second powered device from said at least one power source. 
 
     
     
       12. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 supplying power from said power source equipment input to said alternative power supply through said switch means. 
 
     
     
       13. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 11 , wherein the step of supplying power from said power source equipment input to said alternative power supply through said switch means further comprises the steps of:
 charging each battery pack in a pre-determined sequence; 
 detecting a charge status of each battery pack; and 
 maintaining each battery pack, during the step of supplying power from said power supply input to said powered device through said regulator of said injector means. 
 
     
     
       14. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 detecting a fault is at least one of said first powered device and said second powered device; and 
 closing a corresponding powered device output, according to said fault, until said fault is resolved. 
 
     
     
       15. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
 resolving said fault; and 
 restoring said corresponding powered device output, according to said fault. 
 
     
     
       16. The method for supply uninterruptible power, according to  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
 attempting to restart said corresponding powered device before the step of closing said corresponding powered device output.